1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems and methods for purchase identification and verification, and, more particularly, to a paperless system for confirming the purchase of goods, services, or other benefits along with the purchase of a computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A make-to-order computer manufacturer takes orders from a purchaser during an order transaction and accordingly assembles and configures a computer system conforming to the specifications requested by the purchaser. During the order transaction, the purchaser specifies the desired components of the computer system being ordered. At the time that the computer is assembled and configured at the factory, the computer manufacturer utilizes the information provided by the purchaser during the order transaction to assemble and configure the computer system according to the purchaser""s specifications.
Make-to-order computer manufacturers have begun offering additional services, products, and other benefits along with the purchase of a computer. That is, at the time a purchaser specifies the desired components of the computer system during the order transaction, the purchaser can also specify additional services, products, or benefits that the purchaser wishes to purchase. For example, when the purchaser orders a computer system he can, at the same time, order and pay for pre-paid Internet Service Provider (xe2x80x9cISPxe2x80x9d) services.
ISP services are related to communications that occur over the Internet. The Internet is a vast system of computers and computer networks that are interconnected through communication links. The interconnected computers exchange information, which may include information necessary to conduct purchases and other commercial activities over the Internet.
Each of the thousands of individual networks and organizations that make up the Internet is run and financed separately. A key component of these individual networks and organizations are the individual local networks that provide Internet access for individual users, known as Internet Service Providers (xe2x80x9cISP""sxe2x80x9d). An individual user that wishes to access the Internet pays the ISP a fee, such as a monthly connection rate. In return, the ISP acts as the intermediary between the user and the network xe2x80x9cbackbonexe2x80x9d servers that provide access to the various networks within the Internet.
The practice of offering additional products, services, and benefits along with the purchase of a computer system raises several security, logistics, and customer experience concerns. One such concern arises from the fact that a purchaser of the manufacturer""s computer systems may or may not order the pre-paid ISP service or other offered products and services. It is therefore necessary to devise a means by which the ISP or other provider of goods or services can determine, when the purchaser attempts to access the ISP or other provider, whether or not the purchaser has pre-paid for particular goods or services that the purchaser is requesting. Another concern is that the ISP or other provider must have a manner of identifying the purchaser. If the purchaser has pre-paid for a limited amount of monthly ISP access or a limited amount of other goods or services, the provider must identify the purchaser so that goods or services requested in an amount exceeding the prepaid amount may be tracked and charged to the proper person. Ideally, these concerns should be addressed in a way that minimizes implementation costs and requires as little action as possible from the purchaser.
One approach for addressing the above concerns is to issue a purchase verification key or xe2x80x9cproduct keyxe2x80x9d to the purchaser that confirms that the purchaser has pre-paid for goods or services. Valid product key values, when considered within the domain of valid and invalid product key values, must be rare enough that the likelihood of randomly generating a valid product key is extremely small. The product key may be printed on a certificate that is delivered with the computer system. Alternatively, the product key may be generated by computer and e-mailed to the purchaser. When the purchaser has received the computer, he manually types the product key into the computer when attempting to gain access to the pre-purchased goods or services. This approach presents several disadvantages. First, with either the printed or computer-generated approach, the customer will be denied access unless he properly types the product key into the computer when it is requested. This feature could prevent, due to a typographical error, the purchaser from accessing goods or services for which he has already paid. With the printed product key approach, there is also the risk that the certificate bearing the printed product key will become destroyed, lost, or otherwise inaccessible to the purchaser.
A software-generated purchase verification key (xe2x80x9cproduct keyxe2x80x9d) is generated and stored on a computer at the factory where the make-to-order computer is assembled. The purchase verification key and all input parameters except a shared, secret input parameter are provided by the computer to an ISP""s host server. The host server attempts to verify the key. If the key is verified, the ISP establishes a pre-paid account for the owner of the computer.